Month: June 2012

“When writers are self-conscious about themselves as writers they often keep a great distance from their characters, sounding as if they were writing encyclopedia entries instead of stories. Their hesitancy about physical and psychological intimacy can be a barrier to vital fiction. Conversely, a narration that makes readers hear the characters’ heavy breathing and smell their emotional anguish diminishes distance. Readers feel so close to the characters that, for those magical moments, they become those characters.”

In his book Linchpin, author Seth Godin talked about the idea that everyone has flashes of genius. Not all of us may have the ability and the training to become award-winning novelists, but we can tell captivating stories in one form or another.

With that in mind, I asked a variety of creators the following questions: Read more here

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I’ve spent many years camping and I have to say, some of my best memories have centered around nightly campfires. With the strange sounds of the wilderness, and the shadows cast by flickering flames, one of my all-time favourite things to do was to get immersed in a great ghost story.

What is your favourite haunting tale? Write your own take on that favourite. Will you change the time, or place? Will you introduce a new villain or create a brand new creature that lurks in the woods?

Get creative and have fun! 🙂

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“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.”

~ Anne Lamott

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Welcome to Writerzblox.net’s June 2012 Newsletter! This month we have some advice for new writers, as well as book recommendations, a monthly writing prompt, free wallpaper, tips, tricks and plenty of inspiration.

Putting Yourself Out There~Advice for New Writers

Nothing can be as overwhelming to a new writer as the first time they share their work. You generally put your heart and soul on the page and wonder if others will like what you have to say or judge you based on what you write. How do you get over that initial anxiety? Start by sharing your work online.

Blogging

Currently, blogs are one of the easiest, most popular and most economical ways of getting your writing out to the masses. There are an estimated 150 million plus blogs on the internet at this moment. Personal blogs are basically an online diary or journal where you can post your thoughts, your stories or ‘pearls of wisdom’. There are also Topic blogs, which seem to be the most popular type and focus on a certain subject matter or topic. Have a specific area of expertise and would like to write about it? ~ A topic blog might be for you. Setting up a blog is easy and economical for the beginning writer. There are free services available, which are popular such as WordPress.com, Blogger.com and LiveJournal. Then there are good paid services such as Typepad.com, which can range from approximately $9 to $30 per month depending on the templates, storage and support. Blog frequency is up to the writer, some choose to write daily to gain experience or to establish an audience, while others prefer weekly or even monthly blogs in order to avoid burnout.

Joining Online Writing Communities

Writing groups have always been a great place to meet other writers, form friendships and support. Unfortunately, for some budding writers time constraints due to career or family demands can hinder attending them. However, thanks to the internet, online communities are increasing since they offer a level of convenience as well as anonymity.

Online communities are great for developing your writing voice with like-minded people who are working alongside you towards reaching your goals. Most communities let you register free however, some charge for additional services such as extra storage space, web hosting and reducing the amount of ads on your page. You can create a profile, post your writing, read others’ work, establish working partnerships, join online genre-specific groups, enter contests, and explore writing courses, all of which can help you build a great writing portfolio. Some great online writing communities can be found at:

If setting out on your own seems like a great idea but managing, a blog isn’t a possibility or of interest to you, offer to be a contributing writer or blogger for your favourite blog. Ask friends, your company (if it has a blog) or perhaps, approach a blog you read frequently. Some blog owners are open to having new writers write on their blog as it sometimes offers them a fresh change of pace or outlook.

Whatever options you choose, realize that writing is very subjective. Most people are generally supportive to new writers, but you will likely run across some who will be critical. Realize that sometimes constructive criticism can help you grow as a writer and although it may be hurtful at first, it can help you in the long run.

Affirmation For Writers

This Month’s Affirmation:”I am always learning and growing as a writer.”

Coming Soon!

Writing Sparks

by Belinda Witzenhausen

Do you love writing but have a bad case of writer’s block?
For many, it often boils down to not knowing how to get started. “Writing Sparks: Inspiration to ignite your creativity!” by Belinda Witzenhausen offers valuable advice, prompts and tips to help you break through any creative block and start writing. These prompts offer a variety of fiction and nonfiction ideas designed to get you thinking and writing. Some prompts may ask you to reflect on personal opinions or memories , while others ask you to flex your creative muscles with fun and often, quirky suggestions. These “sparks” are designed to get you motivated and challenge you to grow as a writer.

June’s Book of the Month

Book Review

The Elements of Style – 4th Edition (New Edition)

William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

Publisher: Longman

Copyright: 2000

ISBN-13: 9780205309023

I had mentioned this in an earlier post and was surprised that I had received several emails asking about it. In my opinion, this is a must-have on every writer’s bookshelf. The Elements of Style is a classic that was first published in 1959 and is still widely used today. This book leads you through rules of grammar, principles of composition and includes a section outlining the words most commonly misspelled. This is a book that you will use as a regular resource for years to come and is ideal for a beginning writer to a seasoned writing veteran.

List Price:CDN$ 10.40

June’s Book Recommendations

The Complete Handbook Of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know About Creating & Selling Your Work by Editors of Writer’s Digest Books

List Price: CDN$ 20.99

Fondling Your Muse by John Warner

List Price:CDN$ 21.99

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles [Paperback] by Steven Pressfield

List Price: CDN$ 27.95

June’s Writing Prompt

Lost! You are on a summer road trip with friends and after driving a few hours you realize you are completely lost. Your GPS isn’t working and neither are your cellphones. Write about your adventures, good or bad! Get creative, write and more important, have fun! 🙂

To use as wallpaper click on image to enlarge, for Windows right-click “Set as Desktop”

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You are quietly playing your favourite video game when all of a sudden you lose consciousness. When you wake up, something just doesn’t seem right, actually things seem very wrong. All of a sudden, you make the realization that you have in fact woken up inside of the game! Write about your adventures and attempts to get back to your real world.